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It's Fun to Play the Piano ... Please Pass It On!

Greetings - thanks for such an informative and helpful resource. I have learned over the last few days of reading posts here, that I will reserve my DIY skills and proceed directly to Piano Technician!

What sort of questions should I put to the Tech, what does he/she need to know from my expectations. A big open ask, I realise.

I'd like to inform myself a bit before the Tech arrives a) 'cos I'm like that, b) I'll need to gen up on the technical terms in French (I live in rural France).

An idea of how to approach cleaning the innards would be greatly appreciated.

Further info:-I have acquired an old baby grand piano circa 1900 (Wilhelm Straube, Wien) - and I like it as a piece of furniture. In the event that it has passed its playing life, I will still keep it and admire it, polish up its coachwork and continue my note bashing on my Korg SP-200.All the keys appear to function and the sound (apart from the tuning) is agreeable. I'm a singer, not a player.

You probably have a piano with a Viennese action. If the hammers' hinges are away from the keyboard, rather than closer to the keyboard than the hammers themselves, then you know for certain. If it is a Viennese action, you will need a technician who is familiar with them, and you can ask before you hire someone.

A good technician can give you options for servicing possibilities. Explain what you want. If the technician does not communicate well when you call, look for someone else.

Thank you very much for the response. On examining the action further, based on your comments and a bit of googling, I can confirm that the action is indeed Viennese.

As to the date of the piano, I have had no luck in tracking down the maker Wilhelm Schaube of Vienna, 79 Maria Hilfer Strasse, so I am guessing at the age of the piano largely by the style of the case.

As to the regulation, from what I gather from my research on the web, it looks to my ignorant eyes as if all the keys are even but there are perceptible differences to the feel as I strike different keys. So I guess average to below average, but the Tech will no doubt assess the condition as to whether it is worth significant repair work - given that I don't actually play! It already feels much better than the Korg - much firmer in response and the return of the keys is pronouncedly crisper.

I've already had much fun in cleaning and polishing the outside!Thanks again, I look forward to getting the Tech in and discussing it with them with more knowledge than I had yesterday.